Justin Kahn

Today we are taking a look at the brand new Casely Crayola iPhone case collection alongside the new AirPods covers. We have featured the brand around here a number of times because of the wild designs and patterns, and today it’s time for its latest crossover collaboration with Crayola. Featuring covers for all of Apple’s earbuds as well as iPhone 13 series devices and previous-generation devices going all the way back to Series 6, if you’re not planning on upgrading to iPhone 14 next month, it might be worth taking a closer look at the vibrant new Casely Crayola iPhone case collection below alongside our exclusive discount code. 

The HORI Splatoon 3 gear is now up for pre-order ahead of Nintendo’s squid shooter splashing down in early September. Much like HORI’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus Switch accessories, the new Splatoon 3 gear delivers some officially licensed carriers inked out in themed iconography to celebrate the upcoming release. After Nintendo’s 30-minute presentation on the upcoming title yesterday, now’s a perfect time to take a closer look at the latest HORI Splatoon 3 Switch accessories. Head below for all of the details. 

It’s time to take a look at the best on-the-go storage out there, from the SanDisk Extreme portable SSD to the latest from Samsung, and some of the best bang for your buck options. We have had a chance to go hands on with a number of options over the years as well as some of the most sought-after options on the market as of late, and some clear front runners have emerged for folks looking to scoop one up today. While the latest PNY models sit in a nice middle ground for those looking to save some cash, the SanDisk Extreme portable SSDs and Samsung’s T-series lineup still remain some of our favorite options, especially considering how often they go on sale. But there are some other solutions out there that deliver some serious value for the price. Head below for a closer look at our picks for the best portable SSDs – some of which are seeing some solid price drops right now. 

Update: The Splatoon 3: Splatfest World Premiere FREE demo pre-order eShop page is now live. “A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to access the Splatoon 3 Splatfest World Premiere demo. Everyone who downloads the demo will receive a code redeemable for a 7-day free trial. Code redemption begins 8/25/22 and must be redeemed before 11:59pm PT on 8/31/22.” 

The Nintendo Splatoon 3 Direct showcase is set to kick off in just a few minutes now. With pre-orders already live and the new themed console on the way, Nintendo is ready to ink the next details on its upcoming squid shooter in today’s dedicated showcase. Now set for release on September 9, 2022, we are just under a month away from the launch date and Nintendo is set to dish up some of what will likely be the final pre-release details in today’s Splatoon 3 Direct showcase. 

After launching its Razer Kishi V2 competitor last month, PowerA is out with its latest cloud iOS gaming controller, the PowerA MOGA XP5-i Plus Controller. Delivering a familiar form-factor for the lineup, it combines an Xbox-style Bluetooth controller with an onboard clip to securely and ergonomically fix your iPhone atop with an ideal, adjustable viewing angle. The MFi iOS gaming controller from PowerA is now available for purchase on Amazon and directly on the official site. Head below for more details. 

Today we are taking a look at the new SANDMARC Cinema Slider – a sort of portable metal dolly system for iPhoneographers. The new Cinema Slider might not be for your average iPhone photographer, but as filmmaking and content creation using the handsets millions of folks are already carrying around continues to grow in popularity, SANDMARC’s lineup of lenses attachments, tripod gear, and now, the new Cinema Slider help to deliver pro-grade visual effects without entirely breaking the bank. Now available for purchase directly from SANDMARC, you can get a closer look, more details, and a 9to5Toys-exclusive discount down below. 

With Amazon looking to drop some serious cash to acquire iRobot, it seems like a fitting time to showcase some of the best robot vacuums out there. After bringing the Ring smart gear under its wings, Amazon has now announced that it will be dishing out $1.7 billion to acquire iRobot, makers of the high-end Roomba robot vacuum solution, in an all-cash deal. iRobot’s Roomba line has been a major player in the autonomous cleaning space for quite a few years now, delivering a series of notable tech to your smart home in the process. But over time, several other brands have given it a run for its money. Some of these are at even lower price points with equally successful results, especially for folks who are just looking for something to keep the floors dust-free without getting overly technical. With today’s acquisition announcement, we thought it might be a good time to highlight some of our favorite Roomba alternatives as part of our latest roundup of the best robot vacuums. Head below for a closer look. 

New Pikachu shoes have surfaced in collaboration with Clarks, makers of the iconic Wallabees. We love a good Pokémon cross campaign around here, whether it’s CASETiFY’s latest Pokémon collection, the Converse collaboration that dropped back in May, or those more subtle adidas sneakers we saw before that, but today it’s Clarks’s turn. Head below for a closer look at the latest in Pokémon footwear with the new Clarks Pikachu shoes. 

Beyerdynamic is offering some deep deals on its B-stock headphones and audio gear with full 2-year warranties attached (more details on this below). One standout offer is on the Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO Over-Ear Closed Studio Headphones for $89 shipped. Regularly $179 new and usually fetching closer to $149 at Amazon, this is a deep deal on a particularly solid pair of content creator/home studio headphones. Today’s offer is easily one of the best prices we have tracked. I use them everyday and am a big fan of both the sound quality (especially in critical listening scenarios) and the comfortable plushy ear cups on the German-engineered cans. This is the 80-ohm set that delivers a good all around performance without the need of any kind of DAC or headphone amp as well. Head below for more details on the B-stock Beyerdynamic gear and more deals. 

The Samsung Gaming Hub is getting another major upgrade today with the launch of Amazon’s Luna streaming service. After launching back in June of this year, Samsung is seriously bolstering its built-in gaming capabilities with the inclusion of Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming that launched last month, the NVIDIA GeForce platform, and now, Amazon’s Luna streaming service. Head below for more details on Luna landing in the Samsung Gaming Hub. 

After going hands-on with its Pro Edition tripod last month, SANDMARC is expanding its iPhoneography lineup today with the new Cloud Diffusion iPhone lens attachment filters. Designed to deliver that dreamy filmic look to your photography and videos, the SANDMARC Cloud Diffusion Filter is compatible with just about all iPhone models ranging all the way back to the 5 series devices with a standard clip-on approach. Now available for pre-sale directly from the official site, you can even land a solid discount on your order with our exclusive 9to5Toys promo code. Head below for a closer look and more details. 

It’s time to dive into our 2022 edition podcast equipment list. With so many folks stepping into the space, whether it’s in a professional capacity or just as a hobby for beginners, it can be a daunting task to choose which podcast microphone and other gear you really need to get going in the right direction. It’s seeming like every even mildly audio-focused brand has an interface and a USB microphone available these days. So we thought we would organize some of the gear we have had a chance to go hands-on with (in some form or other) to help answer some frequently asked questions and to demystify some of the details for digital audio beginners and those just getting started in the podcasting space. Below, you’ll find a series of podcast equipment and gear to get you off on the right foot as well as ways to save some serious cash when first getting started. 

V-MODA is unveiling its next-generation flagship product today with the new Crossfade 3 wireless headphones. The brand says the new Crossfades elevate “the highly rated V-MODA sound with new audio refinements that deliver the most immersive… experience ever.” The same premium build is present and accounted for here alongside improved battery life, enhanced codec support, and something the brand refers to as “evolved sound.” Head below for a closer look and more details. 

Yamaha is entering the game streaming space with its first-ever game streaming audio mixer. While there are loads of notable options out there when it comes to streaming and running audio for your game-centric rig, the new ZG01 Gaming Mixer from Yamaha has a number of interesting tricks up its sleeve. For everyone from casual players to eSports pros and Twitch broadcasters, the new streaming audio mixer delivers USB audio interface action alongside mic/vocal effects, 3D surround sound, and “competitive-gaming focus modes,” among other things. Head below for more details. 

Today we are taking a look at the new Backbone One PlayStation Edition. The original Backbone One is widely considered to be one of, if not, the best mobile gaming controller for iPhone, but the company has now teamed up with Sony to unveil what is essentially the first official iPhone controller for PlayStation. Head below for more details and a closer look at the new Backbone One PlayStation Edition. 

New details of GTA 6 have seemingly emerged, including the game’s setting, playable characters, and overall change of tone. Grand Theft Auto 5 released ages ago (back in 2013) and, much like previous games in the series, has remained relevant ever since. That’s largely due to the ever-expanding GTA Online that remained one of the top 20 best selling games right up until 2020, but Rockstar has seemingly begun to move its development focus from its persistent Grand Theft Auto world over to new projects, the biggest of which is likely GTA 6. Head below for more details. 

Today we are taking a look at a rare deal on the Leatherman Tread Multi-Tool Bracelet. Leatherman is one of the best brands in the space – it has been featured in many of our best of multi-tool roundups – and you can now land its unique stainless steel tool bracelet for $59.99 with free shipping in orders $75. But even with the $5.95 shipping fee, today’s deal on the regularly $150 bracelet tool is a notable one and the best we can find. It sells for $85 on Amazon and has never dropped below $82. As much a rugged fashion-statement as it is a functional piece of kit, it hides 29 tools including everything from various sizes of screwdriver heads and box wrenches to a bottle opener, cutting hook, sim card tool, and a glass breaker. Head below for more details and additional Leatherman deals. 

The official Totallee Amazon storefront is now offering 30% off select iPhone 13 matte cases. One of our favorite brands in the minimalist category, you can now land its regularly $39 matte case at $27.30 shipped for iPhone 13, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, and 13 mini. This is 30% off and the lowest price we can find. These models made it into both our annual roundup of the best iPhone 13 cases and the 9to5Toys top picks of the year feature. Stand out features include the logo-free approach, barely there design, and a particularly lightweight construction. While the discounted color options vary by model here today, you will find black, white, blue, and alpine green options on tap. Hit up our launch coverage and hands-on Tested with 9to5Toys review for more details. 

Sony is ramping up for the launch of its latest-generation PS VR2 platform and has now taken to its official PlayStation Blog with some new details. After catching our first glimpse of the PlayStation VR2 headset back in February, Sony is now detailing some of the interesting user experience features with some new details on see-through mode, live-stream broadcasting options, custom play areas, and more. Head below for the latest on PS VR2. 

DODOcase has been featured around here for years now, but it’s time we took a hands-on look at the brand’s latest Apple accessory in our Noblessa Leather iPad Case review. The Noblessa represents the brand’s first real jump into the premium space with leathers sourced from historical tanneries and some of the same materials you’ll find in very high-end luxury purses and bags. Unveiled early last month, we have now had a chance to give the pricey Noblessa Leather iPad Case a run for its money. Head below for the latest in our Tested with 9to5Toys series. 

Originally earmarked for a release this summer and now set to launch in September, Splatoon 3 pre-orders are now live with some fun bonuses attached. After getting our first look at the co-op mode back during the massive February Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo launched a fresh new gameplay trailer alongside the updated September release date in late April. Since then, pre-orders have gone live on Amazon and elsewhere with some fun freebie bonuses attached. Head below for a closer look at the special Splatoon 3 pre-orders. 

Can you play TMNT on Switch? Will Turtles in Time come to Switch? How can the classic turtles games not be on Switch already? If you’re still asking these questions, stop. Not only is the brilliant Shredder’s Revenge now out in the wild – a sort of new retro-modern take on the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat ’em ups of the 90s – but Nickelodeon’s epic Cowabunga Collection is now quickly approaching. We caught a glimpse of the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cowabunga Collection back in March during the PlayStation State of Play, but we now know exactly when you’ll be able to play TMNT on Switch (and just about every other platform out there) in all its retro glory. Head below for more details for the upcoming Cowabunga Collection. 

Harman Kardon is now offering its Onyx Studio 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $99.99 shipped in black. Originally $450 and still fetching as much directly from Harman Kardon when not on sale, they go for around $149 via Amazon third-party sellers at the moment with today’s offer matching our previous mention and the lowest we have tracked. The higher-end fabric finish stands out on this model along with the unique form-factor. This Bluetooth speaker packs in 8 hours of battery life and features one-button access to virtual assistants (both Siri and Google Now) alongside dual noise cancelling microphones, the ability to connect up to two wireless streaming audio sources at the same time, and high-quality HK sound. More details below. 

CASETiFY has now unveiled its new crossover campaign featuring a collection of Dragon Ball Z iPhone cases, AirPods sheaths, Apple Watch bands, and AirTag accessories. Folks intersted in the new Dragon Ball Z Apple gear from CASETiFY will have chance at landing some of the new accessories come later this month, but in the meantime let’s take a closer look at everything down below. 

The massive PlayStation Summer Sale is now live! While we did see a sizable digital event go live ahead of the big June gaming showcases, the proper PSN PlayStation Summer Sale is now in full swing. As per usual, this annual event delivers a gigantic collection of top-tier digital PS4 and PlayStation 5 games, both new and old, to build up your digital game library at a major discount. Head below the fold for more details and a closer look at the 2022 PlayStation Summer Sale. 

After featuring the latest from Belkin’s Apple locator accessory lineup this morning, it’s time for the new Caudabe AirTag cases. Caudabe easily made it into our roundup of the best iPhone 13 cases roundup for its sleek minimalist designs, and we just saw its new 20W Conductor USB-C PD charger release just last month, but it’s now time for its new TAGCLIP and TAGSTICK accessories. Now shipping with a notable limited-time 20% launch discount, head below for more details on the new Caudabe AirTag cases. 

The new 2023 VIZIO 4K TV lineup is being announced today. VIZIO – one of our favorite budget-conscious TV manufacturers – is refreshing its D-Series, V-Series, and M-Series displays today with upgraded tech, HDMI 2.1 ports, 120Hz VRR refresh rates, and more. Including its CES Innovation Award-winning 50-inch M-Series Quantum X model, the brand says today’s announcements are packed with “groundbreaking features that enhance the customer experience,” much of which at more than affordable price tags. Head below for a closer look. 

After covering its launch options back in April of last year when Apple’s item trackers came to market, the new Belkin AirTag cases have arrived. The brand is now ready to refresh its lineup of AirTag accessories with the new Secure Holder Clip and Carabiner models. Belkin’s family of AirTag gear consists of more traditional silicone-like key ring and wire cable variants, but the latest releases deliver some more novel functionality with the multifunction clip and all-in-one carabiner designs. Head below for a closer look. 

We recently had an opportunity to go hands-on with the Joué Play MPE controller. The multi-touch musical input device is the latest from the brand, designed to offer a tactile musical expression controller along the lines of the ROLI Seaboard, Sensel Morph, and things of that nature. Delivering both a casual musical instrument to play and record via the companion app as well as something that can quickly become a more professional-grade MPE controller (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) via an update, it’s time to take a closer look to see what the Joué Play system offers to both parties in our latest Tested with 9to5Toys review. 

Bellroy – maker of all things EDC from carriers and cable organizers to wallets, phone cases, and more – has just unveiled its new cooler bags. The brand has quickly become one of our favorite mid-tier options out there for its high-quality and functional designs that don’t break the bank – I use one of its cable organizer cases everyday. Today we are taking a look at its latest releases with the new Cooler Caddy and Cooler Tote bags. Head below for a closer look. 

It’s time to take a look at the new MacBook Air bag from WaterField. Designed to accommodate the latest 13-inch M2 Apple MacBook Air (or just about any other laptop) and launching on the heels of the brand’s canvas magnetic M2 MacBook Air sleeve, the new WaterField Vitesse Musette Plus bag aims to be the ultimate commuter-messenger-style bag. Head below for a closer look.

Just after launching the new overhauled PlayStation Plus program, Sony is readying something called PlayStation Stars. The new loyalty program of sorts gives gamers a chance at scoring some free digital collectibles, PSN wallet funds (basically free money to spend on the digital PlayStation Store for games and DLC), and “select PlayStation Store products.” Head below for more details on the upcoming, free-to-join PlayStation Stars program. 

WaterField is unveiling its new M2 MacBook Air sleeve today. To coincide with new M2 MacBook Air going up for pre-order this morning for the first time, as you might know from our coverage of the first price drop on the M2 MacBook Pro variant, WaterField has unleashed its latest magnetic sheath to provide a handcrafted home for your new Apple notebook. Now available for pre-order with a July 15, 2022 shipping date, you can get all of the details and a closer look at the new WaterField M2 MacBook Air sleeve down below. 

SANDMARC – maker of iPhoneography gear, Apple accessories, and more – is launching is new MagSafe dock today. Known officially as the Flex Dock it delivers a portable-ready home for your MagSafe iPhone 12 or 13 as well as an Apple Watch that makes use of the chargers you might already have. It – much like the new pro edition iPhone tripod rig we just went hands-on with – features a more premium solution in a patent-pending fold-up design and is now available for pre-order. Head below for a closer look. 

If you’re still asking what day is Prime Day? Or when is Prime Day this year? It is time to ensure you’re ready to go. “What day is Prime Day?” is a simple question to answer now that everything has been confirmed for next week on July 12 and 13. Set to easily go down as the biggest shopping event of the year thus far, in many cases the Prime Day price drops rival the Black Friday offers without the massive hysteria of rushing the storefronts. Amazon’s two-day shopping event delivers deep price drops across just about every product category, and we here at 9to5Toys are looking to make sure you know exactly when Prime Day deals go live (some of them have already and will do before the official July 12 start date) and to help optimize the savings for you and your family.

Update: Pre-orders for God of War Ragnarök are now live at Amazon and you’ll also find the Collector’s Edition & Jötnar Edition pre-orders directly from Sony.

The wait has finally come to an end as Sony and developer Santa Monica studios have taken to the official PlayStation blog to unveil the God of War Ragnarök release date. The highly-anticipated sequel, once believed to see delays into 2023, will indeed be launching ahead of the holidays this year in November. Set for release on PlayStation 4 and PS5, the sequel to 2018’s epic reboot of the series is set to once again star Kratos and son Atreus as exemplified in today’s new Father and Son CG Trailer. Alongside the release date and new footage, Sony has dished up a series of new images, details on pre-order bonuses, and all the different editions of God of War Ragnarök. Head below for a closer look. 

Today we are getting our first good look at the new Nintendo Switch console known as the OLED Model Splatoon 3 Edition. While technically just a themed version of the latest hybrid machine from the brand, the new Nintendo Switch console will be splashing down come early August just before the matching Splatoon 3 Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Nintendo Switch Splatoon 3 Edition Carrying Case. Head below for a closer look at everything. 

After SANDMARC unleashed its latest last month, it is now time for our review of its Pro Edition iPhone Tripod. Having had a chance to go hands-on with some of its other gear, we were excited to get a closer look at the latest iPhone mount. Ready for upright filmmaking and handheld action shots, the new metal construction on the SANDMARC iPhone Tripod Pro Edition is looking to deliver a high-quality solution to just about any iPhoneography kit and it is now time for a deeper dive as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys feature. 

Bellroy has now launched its new Tech Briefcase. Best known for its range of iPhone cases, travel gear, wallets, tech organizer carriers, and really all things EDC-related at this point, Bellroy has quickly become a standout brand after regularly appearing in our best of iPhone cover roundups and having a chance to go hands-on with some of its tech bags and organizers. The new Tech Briefcase is looking to neatly encapsulate your EDC, including everything from your MacBook and tablets, to cable organizers, documents, and just about anything else you might need to lug around on your daily travels with a “tech-friendly [design] without looking too nerdy.” Head below for more details and a closer look. 

Outside of what you might call the more modern era of vintage games (SNES, NES, SEGA, etc.), Atari consoles have been the home for some of the best retro games out there. Going back roughly half a century, for many Atari represents the golden era of home gaming and was a major player in the formation of the worldwide industry as we know it today. Started back in 1972, Atari has now announced a brand new collection of some of the best retro games it has been responsible for over the years soon to be landing on your current-generation hardware known as Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. 

Today, PowerA is unleashing its new mobile game controller known as the MOGA XP7-X Plus. Joining the MOGA XP5-X Plus Bluetooth Controller, the brand’s XP5-A model, and the MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip 2.0 for Xbox Controllers, the new MOGA XP7-X Plus features a wraparound design that looks to take on the likes of Razer’s previous generation Kishi variant and the latest Android model that just launched at the beginning of the month. The new controller is now available for purchase with a mid-July shipping date. Head below for a closer look at the new PowerA MOGA XP7-X Plus mobile game controller. 

Persona for Switch has now been confirmed. Nintendo hosted a new Direct Mini Partner Showcase today to detail some of the notable third-party titles hitting its hybrid home and portable gaming platform today. There were some expected announcements alongside what is arguably the most exciting of the bunch – the new Persona Switch ports. Alongside details on release dates for the upcoming Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope sequel, Nier: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition, and a few others, we now know the Persona for Switch rumors have finally come true as three of the biggest games in the series are set to land on Nintendo’s platform later this year. Head below for more details on that and more from today’s Direct Mini Partner Showcase. 

Caudabe is introducing its first PD charger today. Officially known as Conductor, the new wall plug adapter from Caudabe carries over the design philosophy the brand has been known for with its iPhone case collection for many years – its yearly lineups are a mainstay in our annual best iPhone cases of the year roundups – to its very first charger. Delivering a compact ultrasonically welded power solution, it’s time to take a closer look at the new Caudabe PD charger as well as the introductory bundle sale price. 

Focusrite unleashed its new Vocaster audio interfaces at the top of the month with a pair of podcasting-focused recording solutions for content creators. The Vocaster Two delivers a more full-featured setup with the trimmed-down Vocaster One providing a single microphone input and a more streamlined set of I/O. The latest solutions from Focusrite lean more towards spoken-word broadcasting, but feature a similar affordable approach that has made the brand’s Scarlet lineup of audio interfaces so popular among home music producers and the like. After having a chance to put the base model through its paces over the last few weeks, it’s time for our Focusrite Vocaster One review as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys feature. 

Update: We have now posted our new 2023 edition of the best MIDI keyboards for Mac and iPad.

After introducing its new MPK Mini Play MK3 back in March, AKAI has now unleashed its exciting new MPC Key 61. While that might, to some, sound like another version of its iconic drum pad and sequencer machines, MPC Key 61 is described as the brand’s first stand-alone all-in-one production synthesizer keyboard. While there doesn’t appear to be analog synthesis at play here, the new AIO machine essentially combines the brand’s drum sequencing with a host of virtual instruments and samplers as well as some audio inputs to deliver a complete stand-alone music production rig with no computer needed. Head below for a closer look at the new AKAI MPC Key 61.